1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for automatically adjusting the height of a vehicle, such as a motorcar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well-known in the automotive art, the sprung mass of a modern motor vehicle comprises the frame and body and associated components which are spring-mounted on the unsprung mass of the motor vehicle, usually including the wheels, drive train and front and rear axles. To maintain the vertical position or height of the sprung mass of the motor vehicle within a predetermined trim band as the vehicle load increases or decreases, automatic vehicle leveling systems are frequently employed.
Conventional vehicle leveling systems are designed to maintain a predetermined height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses even as the vehicle load changes. Since the vehicle leveling systems thus operate independently of the distance between the bottom of the vehicle body and the road surface on which the vehicle is travelling, there is a chance that the bottom of the vehicle body may strike the road surface if the vehicle should bounce excessively while moving along a rutted road.